Ákos Kecskés: It's hard to concentrate on football in a war situation

– Russia started a war on Ukraine more than a week ago: how do you handle this situation?
– It is difficult since life in Russia is not easy – Nizhny Novgorod defender Ákos Kecskés, capped four times for Hungary, told Nemzeti Sport.

– Has the war turned everything upside down?
– There is no sense of panic on the streets at all, although the people living here are facing difficulties. However, the national economy is already showing a slump. For example, in Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday, thousands of people lined up in stores as products from abroad will be impossible to purchase in the future.

– The sanctions do not spare Russian football either. It has been a huge slap in the face that 1) clubs cannot compete in UEFA series, 2) the Russian national team has been suspended from the World Cup qualifiers, and 3) taking away the Champions League hosting rights from Saint Petersburg could hurt sports diplomacy.
– No one knows how long the sanctions will last, but even if they remain in the new season, the competitiveness of the country's football will reduce significantly. Therefore, playing football in Russia will not be tempting for many. For some players, it isn't already, and some of the foreign footballers have terminated their contracts. There are reports every day about footballers leaving their clubs, which has a big impact on the league. No one has broken his contract in our club; that's not a topic between us. However, it is a problem that some matches are canceled because the venues are inaccessible due to the airspace ban. The league, however, goes on: it continues as if nothing has happened.

– Due to the huge losses of local large companies financing the sport, the operation of several Russian clubs may be in jeopardy. What do you know about Nizhny Novgorod's financial situation?
– Unlike others, it is stable at the moment, which is reassuring, but the depreciation of the ruble is a problem affecting everyone. On Thursday, my club had a meeting with its foreign players, including me. They tried to reassure us not to worry, they'll help us with everything, and we should feel free to turn to them if there's any problem.

– Are you talking about the war a lot in the dressing room, or is it taboo?
– My foreign teammates and I talk about it a lot. We sit down together in the hotel every night, and as soon as we get the chance, we follow the events. I am also in contact with South Slavic players from other clubs.

– How has life been in Nizhny Novgorod since the war broke out?
– Since we played against Dynamo on Tuesday and will face CSKA on Saturday, we spend the week in Moscow. Therefore, I don't have a lot of personal experiences. We are also closed off from the capital, we spend our time in the hotel and on the training pitch. Our preparation is... undisturbed.

– How much do people care about football in a situation like this?
– This weekend may be the answer to that. In Russia, the pandemic restrictions were lifted the other day. Ever since I played here, this has never happened before, so I'm really curious to see what impact this could have on the increase in attendance, and how much interest there will be in our matches under the shadow of the war.

– Given the circumstances, can you concentrate on football?
– As a professional footballer, I try to focus on my work, but of course, I can't separate myself from the events and the situation because I live here, and many sanctions affect my daily life. It's nerve-wracking not knowing how long the war will last. At the same time, it motivates me to do well in order to be invited to the national team. That being said, I have to switch my mind before every training session to focus on my tasks.

– If head coach Marco Rossi is counting on you, will you be able to come home? Sanctions don't make it easy for you to join the national team...
– I am the most affected in my club as I am the only EU citizen among our foreign players, which makes it difficult for me to travel in and out of the country. I've played with the idea of getting an invitation to the national team. I would not be able to travel to Europe by air directly, so I have to find an alternative solution. Luckily, there are several ways to return to Budapest. After my illness, I feel better and better physically, and it is encouraging I was able to play for 70 minutes on Tuesday, and that I'm going to get an opportunity on Saturday.